


Mystery

by AvidReader3019



Series: Prompt-Tober 2020 [2]
Category: Gravity Falls, Over the Garden Wall (Cartoon & Comics)
Genre: Mythical Beings & Creatures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:40:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26889013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AvidReader3019/pseuds/AvidReader3019
Summary: This is for the "mystery" prompt. It's a continuation of the last prompt universe because it fits really well I thought.
Series: Prompt-Tober 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1961812
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3
Collections: Over The Gravity Falls





	Mystery

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to everyone who helped with this with their encouragement and tips and suggestions and insights and comments. I can't even voice how much I appreciate it!!

Wirt tried to shrug the whole thing off. He really did. The weird meeting honestly wasn’t so bad after the conversation with the who-knows-what, but it left him wondering. Who is this person? Why confront him and just disappear? Was the invitation back to the cool bookshop genuine because wow it’s a cool place and maybe he could just take a peek without seeming like a stalker. He wanted to figure out what the creature was first though. It would be rude to just walk up and “hey what the hell are you anyway?” so he’d have to figure it out on his own.

Before he left the Mable had introduced herself with all the fanfare he’d expected from the colorful display that seemed to be her natural state of being, and, more importantly, from someone who clearly put a lot of work into making a safe space for creatures largely undeserving of that kindness. She slapped a sticker on his chest that he then noticed most everyone else was wearing with a spot for name, pronouns, and creature type. He’d started to ask about it, but she interrupted him “That’s only for if you feel comfortable sharing! It’s nice for some people, but uncomfortable for others, so only do what’s alright with you! Thanks for coming!” She then walked away in a whirlwind to hand off more stickers. 

He didn’t stay for very long after that. He did take one of the to-go cups though. He may not have to kill anyone, but blood isn’t exactly cheap when they know you can’t exactly get it anywhere else and it’s not like he could afford to  _ not _ grab it when it’s free.

After that, he went home the night was still pretty young, (and wow that was still taking some getting used to) so he went home to see what he could find. He wasn’t exactly sure what he expected from the internet, too much it seems since the only creatures related to any sort of lightning weren’t humanoid other than deity type stuff which he’s pretty sure don’t exist. Although, he hadn’t thought vampires existed either, and look where that got him. The person was definitely  _ something _ , in every sense of the word, but any sort of embodiment of nature seems a bit far fetched. They seemed vaguely human perhaps some sort of shapeshifter? But then, what is their regular form? They didn’t move as if unfamiliar with the form, but if they’d been human for a while they would have become accustomed- Okay stop that train of thought right there.  _ I’m going round and round in circles _ . 

A chart might help. Charts are helpful right? Okay, so he knows that the creature can teleport? They seem to be heavily associated with lightning or storms or something of that nature. They like books, but that could just be a personality choice. They’re kinda cute. No, wait no subjective thoughts here. Look at the facts. The fluffiness of their hair does not help the investigation. Well, unless... factoring in that it seemed like it maybe would be sticking up as an element of static electricity? Regular electricity? Similar to the energy that surrounded them before they left? He ended up writing it down. For the investigation, of course.

The coming of dawn does not stop his frantic note-taking, and it isn’t until the next night he even notices that it’s been that long. Not really having to sleep sometimes has its perks.

He walks into the bookstore from so many days ago, nervous. Kinda not really sure he knows what the being is now, and even his best guess is probably wrong. Lightening-oriented creatures are not very common it seems. He then started looking into storms in general, but once again nothing. Nothing unique, anyways. He’s probably just a very showy magic user of some kind, although it would be impossible to tell which. Probably a wizard considering all the books, but that may be a tad bit stereotypical of him and best not to assume. 

If he’s lucky maybe the being won’t be there and the building will allow for more information he can use. He’s not a creeper or anything, but he wants to know about this person who approached  _ him _ out of anyone else there. They could have picked someone way less creepy or clearly not wanting to be there, but they thought his dumb comment was funny and then just used wild and interesting magic right in front of him. It would be more weird to  _ not _ look into this sort of thing, right? They’d just seemed too mysterious, and that’s their own fault. Who is this person? What are they? Why go to a party just to leave a couple of minutes in? Why find him interesting?

The shop is quiet. Just like the last time. No one seems to be here, no movement anywhere. He lets out a sigh of relief and starts looking more closely at the walls. There are some odds and ends, and he notes this time that none of the décor matches. At all. 

The magic of the ceiling mostly draws your attention, so it’s easy to miss but the colors, decades, styles, they’re all different. On one wall sits a couch that looks like an old psychiatrist’s chair and on an adjacent one sits a sleek modern recliner with cup holders, massage, and all. There are rugs of all kinds on the floor, paintings from every era on the walls, lamps with lightbulbs that look like they’re from when they were invented sitting next to one Wirt swore was in his own home. 

The contrast threw him for a second. This would all make sense for magic though. They could all be some sort of enchanted doodad and used to destroy the planet or something. Or the owner could just be a collector of weird items. Humans are eccentric sometimes (he didn’t stop to go down the emotional well of not including himself in that category anymore) but humans also don’t vanish in flashes of light. Once again, unless magic-user, but they weren’t considered strictly human. Probably. He’d never spoken to one long enough to ask.

The vampire wanders the aisles for hours until the quiet of the place starts to weigh on him. Last time there was eerie laughter, but this silence is so much worse. He’s been  ~~ hoping ~~ anticipating the laughter that wasn’t quite that. It held something deeper, older, more interesting, and evocative. He doesn’t dwell on it for long, and he reflects on the evidence at hand. His guess seems as good as it’s going to get. This person has to be a magic-user. Someone specializing in elemental magic, particularly things dealing with either storms or electricity. The quirky shop all but confirmed this and he’d be willing to bet nearly everything in here is cursed or enchanted at least.

Satisfied, he makes to leave, but the room darkens as he touches the door handle. It’s not a problem for his now enhanced vision, actually, he can see better now, but it’s still startling. He turns and at the end of the aisle, right in his line of sight, tendrils of lightning arc up through the floor and reach out, latching onto anything metallic in the room. When Wirt looks back from following each individual path he’s met with the face of the person he’d been investigating for longer than he arguably should have.

They’re smiling, not in a creepy supervillain grin way, but in a mischievous way just the same. More like a smirk than anything else. It’s the same look a sibling has when they spot you walking into your room after they glued all your socks to the ceiling. (don’t ask)

It would be freaky on anyone else, but with the added craziness of the static hair and the soft sweater, it doesn’t seem particularly menacing. 

“Figure out the mystery yet?”

“How did you-“

That laughter again, it’d only been a day, but Wirt found that he’d somehow missed the sound. “You came in here and looked around for a few hours.” They shrug. “What, did you think I wouldn’t notice?”

“I didn’t think you were here  _ to _ notice.”

They nod, understanding. “Ahh. Well, I’m always here in a way.”

Wirt frowns. “What do you mean?”

Their head tilts to the side. “What do  **you** think it means?”

Wirt considers his words very carefully. If he’s wrong, well, he doesn’t exactly want them to think he’s an idiot. He’s spent all day in here, wandering, so if he’s come up with nothing that’s just pathetic. Plus, he does have a solid theory, but there’s something beneath that expression that makes him pause. Beneath the playfulness and general ease, there’s something that feels similar to how he felt waking up after turning. Something dark, hungry, monstrous lying underneath that soft exterior. He takes in a steadying breath. It’d better be steadying as hell since he doesn’t need to breathe anymore. Best probably to just be honest then and share his assumptions. Better to look stupid than anger them and start to look more like prey. He can’t stand that look any longer.

“I would guess you have some sort of spell, charm, enchantment? Something of that nature to tell you when people are here and see them? Like a security camera, but, uh, magic? I don’t know much about how magic works, but I suspect you’re some sort of spell caster? That’s why all the weird items are here?” Wirt’s practically holding his breath at this point waiting to see his fate. Strange how someone so nice and innocent can go from that to the most dangerous thing in the room so quickly. He knew the feeling well, just not on this end for a little while.

They frown and wow Wirt easily decides he never wants to see that sad an expression on that face again. The borderline frightening smirk was much better. That expression didn’t make his chest tense up in uncomfortable ways. 

“I see. Well, you’re definitely closer than most. I’ll give you that.” They turn towards the door and open it. It takes Wirt a full second to realize that they mean to leave. 

“Wait, no, you can’t just leave. What are you? What do you mean I‘m close?”

“You’ll see, but for now let it remain a mystery. I’ll see you around.” Then, they’re gone and Wirt is left standing in a poorly decorated store, alone, with as much understanding as he’d had before this whole thing. 


End file.
